I recently had the chance to visit the Cinemagnum 3D in Nuernberg, and wow… what a bittersweet experience. 

Cinemagnum is actually a separate, standalone section of Germany's largest multiplex, Cinecitta. The theater was built by the Weber family and opened as an IMAX in 2001. (There's even a small sculpture commemorating the IMAX inauguration date on a metal plaque beneath a WWII German helmet, likely discovered during construction.)

You enter through an above-ground postmodern glass cube lobby. A black box structure now occupies the center, housing a tiny additional cinema—probably added later to boost revenue. Despite that, the space still oozes early-2000s postmodern charm, complete with a bar and plush leather seats.

Descending the grand staircase brings you to another underground lobby and a connecting tunnel to the rest of Cinecitta, before an intricate web of escalators plunges 35 meters down to the Cinemagnum itself. Along the way, you pass 2000s-style illuminated bubbly water tanks, sculptures, and old screenshots from IMAX documentaries—it feels like stepping into a time capsule.

At the lowest level, two massive doors open to the 524-seat underground Cinemagnum 3D hall, with a concession stand nestled between them. Behind it sits the legendary analogue 15/70 mm IMAX projector. It feels a bit frozen in time: an old 60 min. IMAX film roll still in place, smaller memorabilia and tools scattered around, as if everyone just left yesterday. The projector, along with the hydraulically movable 840 sqm OMNIMAX dome (no longer in use) and the 610 sqm 1.43:1 screen—the largest in Germany at the time—testifies to the sheer ambition and craftsmanship that went into this place.

It hasn't been an IMAX theater since 2010. Today, it operates with Dolby Atmos and quad Sony 4K laser projectors, though the massive screen is no longer fully utilized. All in all, it's a magical journey back to peak 2000s cinema—and while it's sad to see it in this state, I can understand how a relatively small family business might struggle today, forcing tough decisions along the way.

Heartbreaking to See a Legendary 15/70mm IMAX Projector Left Unused in the Former IMAX Cinemagnum 3D Nuernberg, Germany